Rahul Gandhi is Natural Leader of Congress: Manish Tewari

NEW DELHI, Dec 31: Amid talk of Congress preparing to project Rahul Gandhi as its Prime Ministerial candidate, Union Minister Manish Tewari has said the party Vice President is its "natural leader".

He, however, dismissed as "unnecessary speculation" the media reports about the possibility of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh resigning, saying, "I know on December 31 there is little news but this does not mean that absurd, baseless and incorrect news stories should be run."

The Information and Broadcasting Minister said the way news had been running since morning, showed that there was need for responsibility.

"This is absolutely baseless and without facts. I don't want to lend any decorum to such questions by reacting to them," he said.

Addressing a press conference here, Tewari said Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are the "trinity" of Congress.

He was asked about the possiblity of Rahul Gandhi being projected as the Congress' Prime Ministerial candidate and the timing for the same.

"Rahul Gandhi is the natural leader of the Congress," Tewari replied. At the same time, he went on to add that "There is no dearth of leaders in the Congress."

Asked about the timing of the possible announcement of a Prime Ministerial nominee, he noted that Sonia Gandhi has already said that if there is a need to declare a candidate, it will be done at a proper time and there was no need for any hurry.

His remarks came a day after senior Congress leader and Finance Minister P Chidambaram said the party should declare its Prime Ministerial candidate.

Tewari also suggested that the recent drubbing suffered by the Congress in four Assembly elections should not be a demoralising factor.

"To some extent people seemed to be overawed by the results of the last round of assembly elections. Yes for us as a party, may be as a government they have been disappointing. But if you look at them in perspective, out of 29 states which went to polls in the last five years, the Congress won twelve of those states," Tewari said.

Speaking to reporters at the launch of the DAVP calendar for 2014, the Minister said that the BJP and its allies won nine, others won eight of these 29 elections.

"So far as 2014 is concerned, 2014 (Lok Sabha polls) will come in April or May of 2014 and we are more than ready to go the people on the strength of our achievements," he said.

On media reports speculating about the Prime Minister's resignation, Tewari said while there have been general complaints from media persons that the Prime Minister does not interact enough with the media and when he agreed to do so on January 3, there was this kind of unnecessary speculation which is "completely uncalled for".

Tewari was asked about the AAP government's decision to provide free water in Delhi.

"If they are fulfilling this electoral promises, then congratulations to them. The hope is only that they are giving water to everyone, but water would also be made available to everyone," Tewari said.

To a question about Narendra Modi likening Rahul Gandhi to 'Akashvani', Tewari said the BJP leader has been saying many things and it was not possible to respond to everything.

The Congress does not respond whenever Modi says something too "irresponsible or concrete", he said.

Tewari also objected to the use of words like "secular tourism" by BJP to describe Rahul Gandhi's visit to Muzaffarnagar and said it reflects a "narrow mindset".

He said the Congress has always been sensitive towards such situations and does not want to sharpen communal divide unlike the BJP.

Responding to a question on the UPA government's performance, he said that RTI had been uniquely empowering and mobile telephony has changed lives. Other measures taken by the government would take time to fructify.

When referred to scam in 2G spectrum allocation, he said the report of the Joint Parliamentary Committee has brought out the facts as they stand as far as "aberrations" are concerned in it.

Want to get defeated? Come to Amethi: Congress

NEW DELHI, Dec 30: Congress on Monday suggested AAP leader Kumar Vishwas's exuberance to take on Rahul Gandhi in Amethi in 2014 Lok Sabha polls may be misplaced, saying that whoever wants to lose can contest from there.

"Whoever wants to be defeated is free to contest from Amethi. We don"t have any problem," said Congress spokesperson Sandip Dikshit.

Dikshit argued that Congress does not take anybody lightly as the party fights the elections on its manifesto and agenda.

"He (Rahul Gandhi) is MP from Amethi and I am confident that he will contest the elections from Amethi itself", said the Congress leader, replying to a query whether Gandhi could change his Lok Sabha constituency in next elections.

Dikshit said Gandhi is a very responsible and strong leader. "I have full confidence that be it anybody, he will not win from Amethi if he contests against Rahul Gandhi."

The comment came after AAP leader Kumar Vishwas declared to contest 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Gandhi's parliamentary constituency while challenging BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi to contest from Amethi.

US to proceed with prosecution, says 'no plans to drop Devyani case'

NEW YORK, Dec 30: The US plans to go ahead with the criminal charge against diplomat Devyani Khobragade even if, and when, she acquires full diplomatic immunity.

"We have no intention of dropping the case," said a US government source on condition of anonymity, adding it will only be frozen, not killed, by her immunity status.

The government is also likely to not make much of the $4,500 cited as her housekeeper Sangeeta Richard’s salary in her visa application last November.

That’s a “red-herring that should not detract” from the case, which, it was argued, was mainly the diplomat’s failure to pay the housekeeper $9.75 an hour as promised.

But the government was prepared to back up, for argument’s sake, the $4,500 question saying it was not outside her means given her Indian assets -- 11 properties.

But that’s just for argument’s sake, as said before.

Manhattan US attorney's office has until January 12 to bring an indictment against Khobragade -- it has to be done within 30 days of arrest, and that process is currently under way.

But her transfer to the UN, which will bring her full diplomatic immunity, will protect her from prosecution or arrest, or even additional charges.

It will also freeze the case for the duration of her UN tenure as she cannot be forced to appear in court, and “cannot be tried in absentia under US laws," the source added.

Under the protection of UN immunity, she can leave for India or any other country and escape being tried, but only temporarily. She will be tried whenever she returns.

The charges -- of visa fraud and making false statement-- are not being dropped or withdrawn, sources emphasized. they will merely be suspended from he day she gets the immunity.

The US state department, which is processing Khobragade’s UN papers for immunity, on Monday couldn’t give a timeframe for when it expected to complete it.

It can take up to two or three weeks, according to diplomatic sources.

When it comes through, Khobragade's lawyer Dan Arshack has argued, it can make the US court dealing with the case dismiss it citing his client's immunity status.

US government sources countered that the defendant can certainly ask the court to dismiss the case, but prosecutors may challenge it and argue for the case to be kept open.

Doors would remain open, it is being suggested, in the meantime, for a plea deal, which is a part of the US penal system, affording defendants lighter punishment.

“There is room for flexibility in the system,” another source said, adding, “it’s not uncommon for first time visa-fraud offenders to get away without a jail term.”

Khobragade faces a maximum of 15 years in jail if convicted on those two charges. But that’s only the maximum, not the minimum or standard sentence for such offenses.

India curbs immunity for US diplomats

NEW DELHI, Dec 24: Launching tough reciprocal action on Tuesday, India downgraded the immunity provided to US diplomats on consular duties in India and withdrew the immunity enjoyed by their family members.

India had decided to take firm reciprocal steps after the arrest and strip search of senior diplomat Devyani Khobragade in New York. To that end, US consular officials and their families had been asked to surrender their ID cards for the review of their immunity and other benefits.

Now, US consular officials in Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and Hyderabad are being issued new ID cards specifying the limited immunity, which will not protect them from serious offences. This is in line with the restricted immunity given to India’s consular officials in the US. They are not given immunity in cases of felony.

“All Identity Cards provided to US Consular officials now stand withdrawn,” an official said on condition of anonymity. “New cards, which are exact replicas of cards provided to Indian officials in the US, are being given in lieu of the withdrawn cards. These cards will only be given to the consular officials and will not be given to their family members.”

Not issuing IDs to the families of US officials will also ensure strict reciprocity.

Besides, the US consular staff will now be permitted to import their requirements only for the first six months of office, as is provided in the Vienna Convention for Consular Relations, said an official. Previously, they were allowed to import their requirements over the full period of their tenure.

India hopeful of early resolution of diplomatic row

NEW DELHI, Dec 22: "Something will happen", said External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on the prospects of an early resolution of the stand-off arising out of the arrest of senior diplomat Devyani Khobragade in the US.

As India and the US continued to make efforts to resolve the issue, Khobragade, who has since been transferred as Counsellor in the Indian Mission to the UN to give her full diplomatic immunity, has sought waiver from attending the pre-trial process.

A decision on her plea will be known Monday.

Asked how hopeful he was of a resolution of the issue soon, Khurshid on Sunday said "World keeps moving forward, world never dies, world never stops. Something will happen."

On the US State Department welcoming his remarks on Indo-US ties, he said "They (the US) must do something. Welcoming is not enough".

Khurshid had termed the US as a valuable partner emphasising that both sides need to preserve the extremely exceptionally valuable relations.

39-year-old Khobragade, a 1999-batch IFS officer posted as Deputy Consul General in New York, was taken into custody last week on visa fraud charges as she was dropping her daughter to school before being released on a USD 250,000 bond after pleading not guilty in court.

India had demanded that the case against Khobragade be dropped unconditionally but it was rejected by the US.

Meanwhile, the deadline for the US diplomats and families in India to turn-in their IDs will expire Monday, with government not extending it.

It was among the measures taken by India to downgrade privileges of US diplomats in the country after Khobragade was arrested and put through both strip and cavity searches, procedures normally used for criminals.

In New York, India's Ambassador to the UN Asoke Mukerji said he had written a letter to UN chief Ban Ki-moon around December 18-19 informing him of Khobragade's transfer as Counsellor to the Indian mission here and requested that she be accorded the same privileges and immunities as a diplomatic officer.

Mukerji said the papers are being processed and the UN has to send Khobragade's documents to the US Office of Foreign Missions, which is part of the US State Department protocol for clearance.

"Now it is between the UN and the US State Department," he said

Publicly their common refrain was that the bilateral relationship was extremely valuable, though Washington continued to harp on their line that Khobragade would not enjoy diplomatic immunity "retroactively".

She has since been transferred to the Indian Mission to the UN to give her full immunity. External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid maintained his conciliatory tone when he termed the relationship "extremely exceptionally valuable", a sentiment reciprocated by the US State Department which said, "it is important to preserve and protect our partnership".

Khurshid told reporters in New Delhi, "We are in a conversation at different levels. Let the conversation go to its logical conclusion."

In Washington, a State Department Spokesperson said the US was "continuing the conversation with our Indian counterparts privately" to resolve the situation arising out of the arrest and strip search of Khobragade in a visa fraud case.

Asking the US to "understand the value of the relationship", Khurshid asked whether it was "unreasonable" for India to expect Washington to allow its diplomat to serve with dignity.

The State Department maintained that even if there was a change in the status of Khobragade from being Deputy Consul General with limited immunity to being posted to the UN mission where she gets full immunity, there would not be a "clean slate" from the past charges.

However, the US assertion that retroactive immunity is not possible flies in the face of precedents such as the one involving a Saudi prince in 1982 when he was accused of holding an Egyptian woman against her will in Dade County in Florida state.

Observers say that at the time of the incident, Prince Abdulaziz had no diplomatic credentials. But three weeks later, the State Department granted Abdulaziz and his family full diplomatic immunity.

The Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Dade County's counter claims and held that the Prince had been eligible for diplomatic status at the time of the incident even if he had not received it. The Court ruling, in effect, endorsed the concept of retroactive immunity.

In a tit-for-tat, India removes VIP treatment to US diplomats

NEW DELHI, Dec 17: Delhi Police on Tuesday removed the security barricades set up outside American embassy here immediately after government announced a slew of reprisal measures over the treatment meted out to India's deputy consul general in New York Devyani Khobragade by the US authorities.

A number of cranes, deployed by Delhi Police, removed the concrete barricades outside the Embassy at the diplomatic enclave in Chanakyapuri locality of central Delhi. The police also opened the Nyaya Marg for general traffic.

"The ministry of external affairs requested us to remove these traffic measures around the US embassy and clear the road. The Nyaya Marg has been opened for public," according to Special commissioner of Delhi Police (security) Taj Hassan.

Additional commissioner of police (traffic) Anil Shukla supervised the operation.

The barricades around the embassy were put in place as part of enhanced security.

Hassan, however, said the security to the embassy will "remain same".

The government earlier announced a series of steps to strip US diplomats and their families of privileges including withdrawing all airport passes, and stopping import clearances for the Embassy.

The government has also stopped all import clearances for the US embassy including for liquor.

India has reacted sharply to the arrest of Khobragade who was handcuffed in public in New York on visa fraud charges last week.

Parties demand apology from US, support tit-for-tat response

NEW DELHI: Political parties on Tuesday expressed outrage over the "shameful and barbaric" treatment meted out to Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade in New York and asked the government to take every step matching US action till it gives an unconditional apology.

"The incidents should be condemned by all. More steps should be taken till the US gives an unconditional apology," Union minister and Congress leader Kamal Nath said as India announced a slew of measures curtailing privileges of US diplomats here.

"India should take the lead in sending a message to the US authorities," he said.

Main opposition BJP asked the government to take up the matter strongly with the American establishment and even demanded arrest of American gay partners in India.

"The way she was arrested after being handcuffed, kept with drug addicts and strip-searched in the police station, that is condemnable, reprehensible and regrettable and in clear violation of conventions," BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

Taking a dig at the UPA government, he said that the treatment given to the Indian diplomat by the US "does not accord to the level of friendship that the Indian government claims to have with the US".

"We would urge the Indian government, which tries to match each and every step of the US, to take serious action in this matter to establish the Indian sovereignty and prestige of its diplomatic community," he said.

Reacting sharply to the arrest of the diplomat, former external affairs minister Yashwant Sinha said the government should hit back by punishing same sex companions of US diplomats in India following the Supreme Court ruling on gay sex.

"Media has reported that we have issued visas to a number of US diplomats' companions. 'Companions' means that they are of the same sex. Now, after the Supreme Court ruling, it is completely illegal in our country, just as paying less wages was illegal in the US," the senior BJP leader said referring to visas issued to same sex 'companions' of US diplomats living in India.

JD(U) urged the government to adopt a tit-for-tat policy towards US diplomats in the country.

Urging the government to adopt a similar policy towards US diplomats in India, JD(U)leader KC Tyagi said that he would give a notice tomorrow to Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari to take up the issue in the Upper House as the matter was a "very serious" one.

"A strong message should be sent to the US from India on this issue. If this is done to our diplomats, the officers from the US in the Indian embassy should also be strip-searched," he said.

JD(U) also criticised external affairs minister Salman Khurshid for meeting a US Congressional delegation though Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, home minister Sushilkumar Shinde and Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar refused to meet them in protest against the behaviour meted out to the diplomat.

BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi too refused to meet the US lawmakers.

CPI national secretary D Raja said the US makes "tall claims about human rights and freedom but with this incident, all these claims have fallen flat."

"The way they have behaved with the woman diplomat has thoroughly unmasked the duplicity of US claims about human rights and dignity. This has to be vehemently condemned. The US administration could have taken up the issue with our Mission there, if at all anything was wrong," he said.

"Government has taken up the matter seriously, but why is the US not responding? That shows their arrogance towards other countries," Raja asked.

Deputy counsel general Khobragade, a 1999-batch IFS officer, was taken into custody on a street in New York as she was dropping her daughter to school, before being released on a $2,50,000 bond after pleading not guilty in court.

The row today intensified following reports that the diplomat was strip-searched, confined with drug addicts and also subjected to DNA swabbing. However, when state department deputy spokesperson Marie Harf was queried on it she said that the diplomatic security "followed standard procedures during her arrest".

Hazare thanks RS for passing Lokpal bill, to break fast tomorrow

Ralegan Siddhi, Dec 17: Fasting for the last eight days, Anna Hazare on Tuesday thanked the parties which helped pass Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha and appealed to the members of the Lok Sabha to ensure smooth passage of the legislation tomorrow after which he will call off his fast.

A frail-looking but joyous Hazare vigorously waved the national tricolour and chanted 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Vande Mataram' as he celebrated the passage of the bill in the Upper House.

"This (passing of the bill) is a revolutionary step. In the last 40 years the bill was introduced eight times but never passed," Hazare, who along with former Army Chief Gen V K Singh and ex-IPS officer Kiran Bedi remained glued to the TV, watching the proceedings, said addressing a gathering of supporters after the bill was passed.

"I thank all parties, everybody who supported the bill in the Rajya Sabha with the exception of Samajwadi Party. I also appeal to members of the Lok Sabha to pass the bill tomorrow. This bill is not Anna's demand alone, the country wants it," the 76-year-old anti-graft campaigner, said in Ralegan Siddhi on Tuesday.

"Our leaders have begun to realise that the people want a legislation against corruption. I don't say it will stamp out corruption 100 per cent, but it will definitely bring it down by 40-50 per cent," he said.

Hazare said he would break his fast after the Lok Sabha passes the legislation on Wednesday of which he was confident.

The celebrations began even as the Upper House readied for a vote on the much-talked about bill, with Hazare waving the national flag as his supporters broke into a jig to the tune of popular Hindi film song 'Dil Diya Hai Jaan Bhi Denge, E Vatan Tere Liye'.

"On behalf of the people of country, I pray for passage of the bill, so that our country gets a good anti-corruption law," he said.

Commenting on the developments, including the correspondence between Hazare and Congress and BJP leaders, Bedi said, "Congress, BJP and other parties are recognising the moral authority which Anna exercises in the country today."

Congress is committed to pass Lokpal bill: Rahul Gandhi

NEW DELHI, Dec 14: Seeking to give a big push to the Lokpal Bill, Rahul Gandhi on Saturday appealed to all political parties to support the legislation saying it is a "very powerful instrument" in the fight against corruption.

Addressing a special press conference at the Congress headquarters, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi said, "Congress needs the support of all parties to pass the bill. This bill will help the country. This bill needs to be passed for the welfare of the country".

With the Lokpal Bill slated for a debate in Rajya Sabha on Monday, the Congress Vice President said, "our job is to give this country a powerful Lokpal Bill. We are 99 per cent there and what we need is one per cent from the political parties and we can actually finish and deliver Lokpal."

Apparently referring to Samajwadi Party's opposition to the Bill, he said, "All parties should together accomplish this bill. I appeal to all parties to support this bill.. this is in national interest."

Flanked by Law Minister Kapil Sibal, Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy, Gandhi said Lokpal is an "extremely important legislation" against corruption.

This, he said, is a part of larger framework to deal with corruption, of which RTI is the "single most powerful" weapon.

When repeatedly asked whether the government was suddenly interested in the bill because of the drubbing in Delhi and Hazare's fast, Gandhi said, "it is not a question of victory or defeat. This bill will help India....This argument that we doing this as a result of elections is a bit unfair."

He insisted that the UPA government has been "struggling" to get the bill passed but could not do so as Parliament has been disrupted.

India needs to invest heavily in education, research: Pranab

NEW DELHI, Dec 14: Asserting that there is no shortcut to success, President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday said the country needs to invest heavily in education, research and innovation to claim its rightful place as an advanced economy in the world.

Speaking at an award function of a news channel to honour India's 25 Greatest Global Living Legends, the President said as has been rightfully pointed out India must have a rightful place in the community of nations as an advanced economy.

"But if we want to achieve that, we must at the same time recognise the fact that without advancement of education, research and innovation, we cannot achieve that," he said at the function to mark completion of 25 years by a news channel.

Mukherjee, who presented awards to 25 'living legends' including Nobel Laureates Amartya Sen and V Rama Krishnan and master batsman Sachin Tendulkar, said that while listening to the comments of the awardees, "I found out that one striking commonality in all of them that each and every one of them believes in hard work, honesty, commitment to the job".

"Therefore, what is needed today, what you can draw lessons from the outstanding performance of these 25 great Indians is that we cannot have a shortcut or bypass to achieve the success to reach the top," he said.

The President, who is a visitor to over 100 central universities, IITs and NITs, asked why India had been unable to produce any Nobel Laureate from Indian university after C V Raman in 1930s.

"After C V Raman in the late 1930s of the last century, no Indian scholar, no Indian researcher working in an Indian university obtained a Nobel prize. Why? "

"There is no lack of talented teachers, students but what we are failing in is to coordinate them, to give them the priority to create the atmosphere which can produce Amartya Sen, Venkat Rama Krishan, Har Gobind Khorana and many others," he said.

Close shave for Rahul at Delhi's IGI airport

NEW DELHI, Dec 12: A business jet carrying Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi was forced to make a go-around while landing recently at Delhi airport as an IAF aircraft had still not cleared the runway, airport sources said today.

Aviation regulator DGCA is probing the November 26 incident when the Cessna Citation jet carrying Gandhi was asked by the air traffic control (ATC) to abort landing and go around as a large IL-76 aircraft of the air force, which had just landed, was still taxiing on the tarmac.

Gandhi's plane, which was returning from Rae Barelly, went around and landed safely later, the sources said.

"There was no safety threat to the business jet. It was asked to go around, which is a normal safety-related manouevre," they said.

It was estimated that the jet would be able to land after the heavy-lift Illyushin-76 'Gajaraj' vacated the runway, which did not happen, the sources said.

Sequencing of planes for landing is done by the ATC which also accords priority for those carrying VIPs, the sources said, adding that the pilots of the jet had announced on the open channel that they were carrying a VIP.

Gandhi's business jet was given a gap of eight kms as against six due to the heavy-lift nature of the IAF plane, considering it would take more time to clear the runway, the sources said, adding that the IL-76 took more than the estimated time to do so.

The DGCA is probing the incident to ascertain whether there was any lapse on part of the IAF aircraft or the jet, or even the ATC, the sources said.

Congress gets two thirds majority in Mizoram

AIZWAL, Dec 9: After facing a drubbing in four states, Congress on Monday got some good news in Mizoram where it powered to a two thirds majority in the Assembly elections snapping up 27 of the 40 seats, while the opposition MNF secured four.

Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, all set for a fifth term, won from both Serchhip and Hrangturzo seats he had contested.

In Serchhip, Thanhawla who was elected to the Assembly for a record ninth time since 1978, won by a margin of 734 votes defeating his nearest MNF rival Lalramzauva, who got 4,985 votes in a four-cornered contest.

In Hrangturzo, the Chief Minister defeated his Mizoram People's Conference (MPC) rival Lalthansanga by 1,638 votes.

Thanhawla received 5173 votes in a five-cornered contest.

Of the eleven ministers who contested, nine -- R. Lalzirliana (Home), J. H. Rothuama (Cooperation), P.C. Zoram Sangliana (Transport), H. Rohluna (Forests), Lalrinliana Sailo (Health), Lalsawta (Education), Zodintluanga (Sports), P. C. Lalthanliana (Social Welfare), Veterinary Minister Nihar Kanti Chakma -- won.

Tourism Minister S Hiato, however, lost to the MNF's K Beichhua in Saiha. Assembly Speaker R. Romawia won from the prestigious Aizawl North-I seat. Congress also bagged the Tuivawl, South Tuipui, Lunglei South, Palak, Champhai North, Lawngtlai West, Tuirial, Tawi and Tuichawng seats.

The Congress had won 32 seats in 2008.

On the poll outcome, Lal Thanhawla said contrary to anti-incumbency playing a crucial role after completion of a five-year term, in Mizoram "pro-incumbency worked in favour of Congress".

"I am going to form the next government in the state," he said.

The main opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) lagged far behind bagging only four seats -- Saiha, Tuikum, Aizawl West-I and Aizawl West-II, one more than in 2008.

The party's Rajya Sabha MP Lalhming Liana was also defeated by K. Lalrinthanga of the Congress in Serlui.

Barring MNF, the two other constituents of the MPC and Maraland Democratic Front of the Mizoram Democratic Alliance, were yet to open their account. A prominent loser was opposition Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) chief Lalduhawma, who was defeated both from Aizawl West-I and Kolasib.

The party had two seats in the outgoing House.

A repoll was ordered in the Tialdawngilung polling station in Lawngtlai East constituency, Joint Chief Electoral Officer H. Lalengmawia said.

Lalengmawia told a news agency that repoll would be held on December 11 and counting on December 12.

He said the repoll was necessitated as counting could not be held because of a defective EVM.

BJP sweep MP, Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, Hung Assembly in Delhi

NEW DELHI, Dec 8: Just ahead of Lok Sabha polls, BJP handed a severe drubbing to Congress in assembly polls in which it snatched Rajasthan and retained Madhya Pradesh with landslide wins and holded on to power in Chhattisgarh. Delhi has witness a hung Assembly where where AAP made a dream debut.

The fledgling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) stunned major parties in Delhi where its chief Arvind Kejriwal emerged the giant killer defeating three-time Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit by a huge margin.

Its spectacular showing not only led to the rout of Congress but also halted BJP's march for a clear win. Some remaining results in Chattisgarh and MP were declared on Sunday night.

In Delhi, BJP with 31 seats emerged as the single largest party in a House of 70, needing six more for the magic number of 36. AAP bagged 28 seats followed by Congress (8). BJP ally Akali Dal got one seat.

Both BJP and AAP have decided not to form the Government in Delhi, thus ensuring that President's rule is imposed.

Propelled by the aggressive campaign of its Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, BJP wrested power from Congress in Rajasthan by scoring a three-fourth majority and retained power in Madhya Pradesh where it increased its tally to reach two-third majority.

It was a hat-trick for BJP in Madhya Pradesh where Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan led the party to a spectacular tally of 165 seats in the 230-member assembly, 22 seats more than last time.

The Congress suffered a huge defeat with its tally coming down to 58 from 71 seats. BSP got four seats and independents three.

In Rajasthan, Vasundhara Raje spearheaded the saffron surge, ousting the Congress which suffered its worst-ever performance. BJP got 162 seats, its highest ever tally, in the 200-member assembly, leaving Congress with only 21. In the outgoing assembly, BJP had 78 and Congress 96 seats.

National People's Party got four, BSP three and National Unionist Zamindara Party two. Independents won seven.

After a neck and neck race in Chattisgarh, ruling BJP had the last laugh notching 49 seats giving Chief Minister Raman Singh a hat-trick of wins for the party at the hustings.

In a House of 90, Congress bagged 39 while BSP and an Independent got one each.

"We will introspect seriously and we will take all necessary actions to rectify our mistakes or our way of functioning," Congress President Sonia Gandhi told reporters at the AICC headquarters on Sunday.

Congress accepts defeat with "great humility"

NEW DELHI, Dec 8: Congress has accepted defeat in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, saying it was disappointed with the poll outcome.

"The results in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are disappointing.... Congress accepts its defeat with great humility.... We concede that we have lost there," party spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said when asked about the trends.

He, however, dismissed suggestions that the performance of BJP in the Assembly polls was an indication that the party could sweep the Lok Sabha election next year. He recalled that BJP had won 2003 Assembly polls but lost badly in the Lok Sabha elections.

"Any celebration ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls will be premature. BJP refuses to learn from history.... There was similar sort of upbeat mood in the BJP in 2004, when the NDA had lost," he said.

Expressing suprise over the results in Delhi, where the debutant Aam Aadmi Party is competing with BJP for the first place, AICC general secretary in-charge for the state Shakeel Ahmed said, "We were not expecting these results. The reasons for this will be analysed."

Congress has been in power in Delhi for 15 years with Shiela Dikshit having the distinction of the longest-serving woman Chief Minister in independent India.

In the last Assembly polls, the Congress had won as many as 43 seats in the 70-member legislative Assembly and its fortunes have dwindled sharply this time with the party likely to get less than 10 seats.

Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi dismissed suggestions that the trends showed that there was a wave in favour of BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in the country.

Congress leader and Union Minister Shashi Tharoor said his party has very capable and experienced political leaders who are surely going to analyse in detail and find what corrective measures are needed.

He said across the the country there were regional parties and areas where the BJP has no presence. "So we should not be too hasty in suddenly seeing a sort of tsunami in favour of party that has done well today," Tharoor added.

Mandela's life and ideals will inspire generations to come: PM

NEW DELHI, Dec 6: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh paid rich tributes to Nelson Mandela on Friday, describing him as a "giant among men" who was a beacon of hope for those struggling against oppression and injustice.

Condoling the demise of the great leader who devoted his life to fight against apartheid, Dr. Singh said his passing away is as much a loss to India and the world as it is to South Africa.

"I am deeply saddened at the passing away of President Nelson Mandela," he said in his condolence message.

Quoting an unknown poet, Dr. Singh said, "Here and there, and now and then, God makes a giant among men. President Mandela was one such giant amongst men."

The Prime Minister noted that Mandela not only represented the conscience of the world, he also remained a beacon of hope for those struggling against oppression and injustice long after he had led his own people to victory over such ills.

"Nelson Mandela endured great personal hardship so that others could be provided with dignity, equality and opportunity. He fought discrimination and inhuman exclusion, but rose above bitter divisions to heal and reconcile a fractured nation. His life and work made him a citizen of the world," he added.

"India, in particular, had great affection and regard for him. His mission was a great inspiration and moral bulwark for our principled struggle against apartheid.

It also mirrored our own hope for a better world and we were greatly honoured when he accepted the highest Indian civilian award of Bharat Ratna," the Prime Minister said.

He said today, India joins South Africa and the world in mourning his loss. "But we know that his life and ideals will inspire generations to come. May God bless his soul," Dr. Singh said.

Governments come and go, but India will continue to rise: Manmohan Singh

NEW DELHI, Dec 6: With general elections due in five months and smarting from exit poll predictions of a disaster for the Congress in four of the five states that went to polls recently, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday defended his government on broadly five counts where the UPA has been hit hard.

Delivering the inaugural address at the HT Leadership Summit, he identified the Lokpal stir, a faltering economy, charges of populism over social safety programmes, terror attacks and absence of a well-directed foreign policy as the demons his party was still fighting.

"I urge you to look at the big picture," Singh said, reading from a prepared text that was aimed at the critics of his government.

Addressing the effort of a few “well-meaning individuals to spread cynicism”, an obvious reference to Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal and their Lokpal agitation, Singh pointed out democratic elections triumphed over the agitation at Delhi’s Ramlila grounds.

As for the embattled Indian economy, Singh pointed out “it is on a rising growth trajectory”. He said the decades of 0% to 3.5% growth his generation had witnessed were now a thing of the past.

For those still questioning the economy’s robustness, Singh had this to say: “In the past two decades, the rate of growth more than doubled to an annual average of 7%.” Naturally, he argued, “There will periodic ups and downs.”

Singh added, “The new aspirations of an entirely new generation of Indians has contributed to growing impatience for faster growth and even better quality of life.”

He had a different, perhaps more nuanced take, on his government’s “populist” measures that attract considerable criticism. The years of growth, he said, also saw growing disparities between the haves and the have-nots. But the UPA’s social agenda “strategy of inclusive growth helped blunt the edge of disparities”.

Singh’s tenure has also been frequently criticised for being “soft on terror” and the failure to effectively combat terrorism. But Singh’s “big picture take away” was that while a terrorist needs to succeed only once, security agencies have to succeed every time.

“If we only look at the number of terror attacks on India in quantitative terms, we may feel despondent,” he said, but pointed out that the attacks “failed to generate communal tension”. The PM said terrorism “is being defeated in the minds of our people because they are refusing to respond to such attacks in which the ideologues of terror want them to”.

On foreign policy, he said as Indian entrepreneurs were widening their global footprint, they were “altering the priorities of” India’s foreign policy. He said much of the rising criticism against his government was the result of expectations.

“A revolution of rising expectations is underway and I welcome it.”

The PM said, “Governments come and go. We are all birds of passage, actors on different stages... India will continue to rise and in doing so, will help everyone rise... that is the big picture. For the short period, we mortals occupy the places we do, let us strive to do our best for India, for the world, for humanity.”

Woman 'shared' by hubby for Rs 1.5 lakh, gang-raped

MUMBAI, Dec 5: Four men raped a 23-year-old homemaker in a community hall from the night of November 30 to the next morning after her husband struck a deal with them for Rs 1.5 lakh, the police said on Thursday.

When the four refused to pay up, the 26-year-old scaled down his demand to Rs 50,000 and then to Rs 1,500. When they still refused, he claimed they had abducted his wife from outside Mankhurd railway station and gang raped her. The survivor, who is out of danger, is under medical observation.

The police said the husband wanted to earn fast money by offering to "share" his wife. He struck the deal over the phone while leaving West Bengal with his wife on November 28, and told his friends to come to the station. But Mobin Khureshi (40), Sajid Khureshi (24), Nizam Khan (25) and Sujitkumar Chaurasiya (43) spilled the beans and all five were arrested.

"He convinced his wife of one year to accompany him to Mumbai," Mankhurd police senior inspector S G Rajput said.

The survivor said at the station, her husband told her to sit in an auto with his friends.

The four took her to Zakir Hussain Nagar in Bhaiganwadi and raped her one after the other.

When the husband failed to track down his wife till 1.30am, he approached the police.

In the meantime, the survivor screamed for help and residents nabbed the four.

They have been booked under Sections 34 (common intention), 342 (wrong confinement), 370 (buying or disposing of any person as a slave), 376 (g) (gangrape) and 506 (II) (criminal intimidation) of the IPC. The husband was also booked under the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act. They were remanded to police custody till December 7.

No scope of Pakistan winning a war: PM

NEW DELHI, Dec 4: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday said there was no possibility of Pakistan winning any war against India in his "lifetime".

"There is no scope of Pakistan winning any such war in my lifetime," he told reporters.

He was reacting to a reported statement of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a daily newspaper that Kashmir is a flash point which "can trigger a fourth war" with India.

The reported statement was published in an influential daily of Pakistan, which has since been denied. Sharif's office said he had never "uttered these words" in his address to the Pak-occupied Kashmir Council and described the report as "baseless, incorrect and based on malafide intentions".

His office also said that Sharif was of the opinion that any issue of conflict between Pakistan and India has to be resolved through peaceful means.

Exit poll predicts hung assemblies in Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Mizoram

NEW DELHI, Dec 4: The BJP is expected to retain Madhya Pradesh with a massive mandate and wrest Rajasthan from the Congress, while falling short of a majority in Chhattisgarh. Delhi and Mizoram would see hung assemblies, according to exit poll projections of the assembly polls in the five states by India TV-CVoter.

According to the India TV-CVoter exit polls, in Chhattisgarh, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may be two seats short of a simple majority in the 90-member assembly.

In Rajasthan, the BJP is projected to win 130 seats of the total 199, while the ruling Congress would manage just 48 seats, it has projected. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) would win four seats, and the other parties 17 seats.

In 2008, the Congress had won 95 seats, the BJP 78, BSP six and others 20 seats.

In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP is projected to retain power with 128 of the total 230 seats. The Congress could win 92 seats, the BSP six seats and the others four seats.

In 2008, the BJP had won 143 seats, Congress 71, BSP seven and the other parties together nine seats.

In Chhattisgarh, the ruling BJP is likely to be short of simple majority. The BJP is projected to win 44 of the total 90 seats. The Congress is likely to win 41 seats, the BSP two seats and others three seats. In 2008, the BJP had won 50 seats, the Congress 38 seats, and others two seats.

In Delhi, the ruling Congress would be in for a rude shock.

According to India TV-CVoter exit polls (till 1 p.m.), the BJP is projected to win 29 of the 70 seats, the Congress 21, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) 16 seats, the BSP two seats, and others two seats.

In 2008, the Congress had won 43, the BJP 23 seats, the BSP had won two, and others had won two seats.

In Congress-ruled Mizoram, the ruling party is projected to win 19 seats of the total 40 seats. The Mizo National Front (MNF) plus Mizo People's Conference (MPC) is likely to win 14 seats, the Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) five seats, and others two seats.

In 2008, the Congress had won 32 seats, MNF plus MPC had won six, and ZNP had won two seats.

Counting of votes will take place December 8.

India not to compromise on food security: Anand Sharma

NEW DELHI, Dec 2: On the eve of WTO ministerial meeting which will be held in Bali, India on Monday said the interim solution on food security as currently designed is not acceptable and the country won't compromise its farmers' interest or succumb to mercantilist ambitions of rich nations.

There is a national consensus and complete political unanimity on this matter in India, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said, adding: "It is therefore difficult for us to accept an interim solution as it has been currently designed.

"We can no longer allow the interests of our farmers to be compromised at the altar of mercantilist ambitions of the rich. The Bali Ministerial Meeting is an opportunity for the developing countries to stay united in resolve to demonstrate the centrality of agriculture in trade talks."

Developed countries have proposed an interim solution of four-year 'peace clause' during which period India would not attract penalty even if the 10 per cent cap is broken.

As per the existing Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) of the Geneva-headquartered WTO, farm subsidy has to be capped at 10 per cent of the total value of the farm production. India has raised issues regarding the way the cap value is benchmarked to the base price.

In a statement at a meeting of the G-33 in Bali on the eve of the 9th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization, Sharma said that for decades, "handful of farm lobbies of some countries" have shaped the discourse and determined the destiny of millions of subsistence farmers of the developing countries.

"The massive subsidisation of the farm sector in the developed countries is not even a subject matter of discussion, leave aside serious negotiations," he said.

He further said that food security must be protected from all challenges in the WTO as it is not only a sensitive issue for India but also a critical social imperative.

India's Food Security Act entitles 82 crore people to 5 kg of foodgrain per person a month at Rs 1-3 per kg. The country needs 62 million tonne foodgrain a year to implement the law.

Sharma said that as a responsible nation, India is committed to a constructive engagement for finding a lasting solution. "But till such time that we reach there, an interim solution which protects us from all forms of challenge must remain intact," he added.

Procurement and public stock-holding for food security are invaluable instrumentalities used by developing countries to secure interests of the poor and the vulnerable.

Sharma asked the leaders for updating of WTO rules under the AoA as it would rectify inherent flaws and then help developing countries in carrying out such legitimate operations without defaulting on their commitments.

The G-33 proposal on food security, Sharma said, aims to address the problems faced by developing countries due to outdated WTO rules which base agriculture subsidy calculation on external reference prices of 1986-88, even as global food prices have increased manifold during this period.

It is surely reasonable, the Minister said, that "we should not be asked to peg farm support calculations on prices which were prevailing thirty years ago".

Stating that reforms in agriculture trade rules envisaged in the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) would have made a major contribution towards improving the lot of poor farmers, Sharma noted that "unfortunately, a consensus on the overall agriculture had eluded members so far".

The G-33 meeting, chaired by the Minister of Trade of Indonesia Gita Wirjawan, was attended by all its 47 member countries.

India is pinning hopes on wide support from the grouping of G-33 which includes China and Indonesia. However, given the political compulsions back home in an election year, sources said, India would prefer a "no deal to bad deal", especially with regard to farmers.